Variant Confirmed In Fiji As 6 More Test Positive

The B1617 variant of COVID-19 first detected in India has now been discovered in Fiji as the island nation reported on Tuesday six more COVID-19 cases

SUVA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2021 ) :The B1617 variant of COVID-19 first detected in India has now been discovered in Fiji as the island nation reported on Tuesday six more COVID-19 cases.

According to Fiji's Health Ministry, four of the six are of soldiers returning from overseas and fraternizing amongst themselves, breaching the rules in place, while the other two are family members of the woman from the Cunningham case in the capital city of Suva.

The Health Ministry also confirmed that they received confirmation from the Melbourne lab that the COVID-19 variant in Fiji was first detected in India. This dangerous variant already exists in the countries such as Brazil, the United States and Britain.

Fiji has had 109 cases in total, with 42 active cases, 65 recoveries and two deaths since its first case was reported on March 19 last year.

Currently, Fiji has 24 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 and 20 imported cases.

There are more than 40 screening clinics open throughout Fiji. More than 93,000 Fijians have been checked recently for COVID-like symptoms and travel histories that may place them in the path of Fijian living with COVID-19. More than 120,000 Fijians will be screened in the coming days.

To contain the spread of COVID-19, Fiji announced on Sunday the 14-day containment zones in the Lami-Suva-Nausori area. Beginning at 4:00 a.m. local time on Monday and for the next 14 days, Fijians will not be allowed in or out of the containment zones in the Lami-Suva-Nausori area.

Fiji has maintained a nationwide curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time since March last year.